American police officers respond to GOP claims that Capitol rioters are TOURISTS
Police officers responding to GOP claims that Capitol rioters are tourists, If that's the case with American tourists, I can understand why foreign countries don't like American tourists.
Officer Daniel Hodges joked when asked about the GOP's claim that Capitol rioters were "TOURISTS."
"If American tourists are like that, I can see why foreign countries don't like American tourists," he said.
Hodges has repeatedly referred to Capitol rebels as "terrorists".
Metropolitan Police officers on Tuesday cracked a joke when a Democratic lawmaker asked him about the Republican claim that the rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6 were "TOURISTS."
"Some of our colleagues have mentioned that the violent rebels are not from terrorist gangs but from tourist gangs," said Rep. Maryland Jamie Raskin, referring to Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde's earlier claims on the matter. "Why do you mention the attack was from a terrorist plot, and what do you think about our colleagues thinking that we should call them tourists?"
"Well, if American tourists are like that, I can see why foreign countries don't like American tourists," said MPD officer Daniel Hodges flatly, suddenly bursting into laughter from lawmakers and the audience.
You continue: "But I can see why someone would dispute the title "terrorist." It's become well-known in our vocabulary over the last few decades. And we believe that's impossible here - no domestic terrorism, no domestic threat.
"But I'm ready," Hodges said, before reading out the definition of domestic terrorism under US law.
Hodges called the rebels who stormed the Capitol "terrorists" several times Tuesday when you and three other witnesses testified before a special committee the House set up to investigate the January 6 siege.
MPD officers made headlines after horrific footage showed you screaming in pain as you were crushed in a doorway between a pro-Trump mob and law enforcement officers trying to hold the line.
On Tuesday, Hodges told lawmakers that you remember foaming at his mouth when he was crushed and when rioters tried to rip his helmet off. "I did the only thing I could do, scream for help," he said.